Hannah Whitall Smith

[Ryan&Amber2013]

Are any of you familiar with Hannah Whitall Smith? I just started a book called "God of All Comfort", and I'm very impressed so far. Supposedly she came from a Quaker family. Anything to be aware of in this book as far as you know? Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/God-Comfort-...h&qid=1557710571&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1

 

[bookslover]

I have a dim memory that she was part of the Higher Life movement of the late 19th/early 20th centuries. Not Reformed, as far as I know. She lived from 1832-1911, per her Wiki page (which I just checked).

 

[psycheives]

Are any of you familiar with Hannah Whitall Smith? I just started a book called "God of All Comfort", and I'm very impressed so far. Supposedly she came from a Quaker family. Anything to be aware of in this book as far as you know? Thanks!

https://www.amazon.com/God-Comfort-...h&qid=1557710571&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1

I recommend caution. Smith was a famous and charismatic Arminian Holiness Movement preacher/teacher and is not in agreement with our Reformed theology AT ALL. She taught Higher Life n Keswick sanctification and if Im not mistaken 2nd blessing theology, all descended from the Wesleyan Methodist Movement. All beliefs the Reformed reject. She's famous for her preaching/teaching and her famous book: The Christians Secret of a Happy Life, a blend of Holiness theology n mysticism. She fell away from the faith and became a Christian Universalist.

The two books both titled "5 Views of Sanctification" show us the different theologies. Also JI Packer wrote against the danger of Keswick in his books. And I believe Andy Nasalli (of MacArthur/Masters) wrote two books against this theology:
Andrew David Naselli
No Quick Fix: Where Higher Life Theology Came From, What It Is, and Why It's Harmful

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Whitall_Smith

 

[Ryan&Amber2013]

I recommend caution. Smith was a famous and charismatic Arminian Holiness Movement preacher/teacher and is not in agreement with our Reformed theology AT ALL. She taught Higher Life n Keswick sanctification and if Im not mistaken 2nd blessing theology, all descended from the Wesleyan Methodist Movement. All beliefs the Reformed reject. She's famous for her preaching/teaching and her famous book: The Christians Secret of a Happy Life, a blend of Holiness theology n mysticism. She fell away from the faith and became a Christian Universalist.

The two books both titled "5 Views of Sanctification" show us the different theologies. Also JI Packer wrote against the danger of Keswick in his books. And I believe Andy Nasalli (of MacArthur/Masters) wrote two books against this theology:
Andrew David Naselli
No Quick Fix: Where Higher Life Theology Came From, What It Is, and Why It's Harmful

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Whitall_Smith

Thank you so much for the honesty. Thankfully in the first few chapters of this book all has been sound, but I will definitely be on guard. It's more of a practical book.

 

[Pilgrim]

I recommend caution. Smith was a famous and charismatic Arminian Holiness Movement preacher/teacher and is not in agreement with our Reformed theology AT ALL. She taught Higher Life n Keswick sanctification and if Im not mistaken 2nd blessing theology, all descended from the Wesleyan Methodist Movement. All beliefs the Reformed reject. She's famous for her preaching/teaching and her famous book: The Christians Secret of a Happy Life, a blend of Holiness theology n mysticism. She fell away from the faith and became a Christian Universalist.

The two books both titled "5 Views of Sanctification" show us the different theologies. Also JI Packer wrote against the danger of Keswick in his books. And I believe Andy Nasalli (of MacArthur/Masters) wrote two books against this theology:
Andrew David Naselli
No Quick Fix: Where Higher Life Theology Came From, What It Is, and Why It's Harmful

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Whitall_Smith

For what it's worth Andy Naselli is from TEDS (and was an assistant to Dr. Carson) rather than being associated with MacArthur, and was in independent fundamentalism (BJU) before that. Keswick higher life teaching was an influence in his fundamentalist background, hence his interest in the subject. Here's a helpful interview about the book: https://www.booksataglance.com/auth...-quick-fix-higher-life-theology-came-harmful/

Here's his page on his website about the book: http://andynaselli.com/no-quick-fix...logy-came-from-what-it-is-and-why-its-harmful

 

[Susan777]

Oh how I wish someone had warned me about HWS when I was a new Christian. Her books were so appealing to my earnest but untaught mind. She offered a fast track to holiness which I hungered for, but instead I landed in the Slough of Despond where I stayed for a very long time.

RUN!

 

[Relztrah]

Oh how I wish someone had warned me about HWS when I was a new Christian. Her books were so appealing to my earnest but untaught mind. She offered a fast track to holiness which I hungered for, but instead I landed in the Slough of Despond where I stayed for a very long time.

RUN!

I agree. I listened to an audio version of The Christians Secret of a Happy Life and my initial reaction is that I'm living a substandard, inferior, mediocre Christian life.

 

[psycheives]

For what it's worth Andy Naselli is from TEDS (and was an assistant to Dr. Carson) rather than being associated with MacArthur, and was in independent fundamentalism (BJU) before that. Keswick higher life teaching was an influence in his fundamentalist background, hence his interest in the subject. Here's a helpful interview about the book: https://www.booksataglance.com/auth...-quick-fix-higher-life-theology-came-harmful/

Here's his page on his website about the book: http://andynaselli.com/no-quick-fix...logy-came-from-what-it-is-and-why-its-harmful

Thanks! I wanted to include this. It was late and I was in bed and I couldn't remember which seminary he came from and didn't want to state wrong. I think that is about equally as important as where he went.

 

[Pilgrim]

Although not confessional, Dan Phillips' "The World-Tilting Gospel" contains some good material against this "Let go and let God" teaching, which he terms "gutless grace" if I remember correctly. There is some similar material on this on his blog, Pyromaniacs, or both.